Batavia downtown biz grants available

Applications are due Jan. 31 for Batavia's downtown Facade Improvement Program.

Business owners who want to spiff up the outsides of buildings should submit an application to the City of Batavia's Community Development Department at the Batavia Government Center, 100 N. Island Ave.

The applications are available at cityofbatavia.net/facadegrant.

Batavia has offered such grants since 1996. Buildings in two tax increment financing districts and the Downtown Historic District are eligible.

For details, call planning and zoning officer Joel Strasman at (630) 454-2709, or Batavia MainStreet at (630) 761-3528.

The city has set aside $50,000 for the program in its 2011 budget.